Amendment No. 26 provides that the executive must keep records specifying "the number of applications for assessments" and "the number of persons to whom services identified in assessment reports have not been provided". It does not refer to service statements, however. I am not sure whether I have used the exact phrase. I refer to statements which are prepared by liaison officers. Such statements are not referred to in the amendment.
Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed).
SECTION 13.
Debate resumed on Government amendment No. 26:
In page 16, subsection (1), between lines 40 and 41, to insert the following new paragraphs:
"(d) specifying the number of applications for assessments made under section 9 and the number of assessments completed under that section,
(e) specifying the number of persons to whom services identified in assessment reports have not been provided,”.
I thank the Minister of State for introducing amendments Nos. 26 and 28, which meet the need I tried to address in amendment No. 27. I am happy to support the Government's amendments.
I applaud amendments Nos. 26 and 28. Senator Terry is also to be applauded for noticing that there was a need for such amendments. As the Minister of State has said, the provisions of the excellent amendments Nos. 26 and 28 exceed the requirements outlined by Senator Terry. It is clear that various sections of the Bill are related to each other.
The amendments do not require individual needs to be specified. Individuals cannot get assessments of their unmet needs. The amendments relate to aggregate needs.
Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 27 not moved.
Government amendment No. 28:
In page 17, subsection (3), line 3, after "direct" to insert "and shall be published by the Executive within one month of the date of its submission to the Minister".
Amendment agreed to.
Section 13, as amended, agreed to.
Progress reported; Committee to sit again.
Sitting suspended at 4.05 p.m. and resumed at 4.20 p.m.